I've compiled a list of the cars that reached the biggest prices at this year's Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale event. Comparing to last year there were more cars on sale but only four scored seven figures. Unfortunately B-J is mostly about American muscle cars which aren't my specialty, so I can't comment on the prices.
1. Lot 1301 - 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 "Super Snake" - $5,500,000
Engine: 427 SUPERCHARGED
Transmission Type: 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC
Horsepower: 800
Cylinders: V8
Exterior Color: DARK BLUE
Interior Color: BLACK
"Cobra To End All Cobras" by Harley E. Cluxton
I've been asked to comment on the authentication of CSX 3015 and its relevance in and to the collector world. In the last ten years, there has been an astronomical increase in values running through almost every facet of the collector car market.
With vast amounts of dollars, euros, sterling and yen changing hands, it is no wonder that Manufacturers like Ferrari, Mercedes Benz, Porsche and Jaguar all have their own 'official' Certification Centers. With the blessing of Carroll Shelby, the Shelby American Automobile Club, through its' Shelby American World Registry, lists every Cobra, every Shelby Mustang, and every Ford GT by chassis number with its known ownership history. Originality is the operative word in Collector Car Values. Generally, the degree of originality coupled with pedigree and limited production drives the price.
CSX 3015 is absolutely the real deal.
CSX 3015 is one of only 23 (not 22) 427 competition roadsters built;
- On September 7, 1965 CSX 3015 was shipped and invoiced to Ford Advanced Vehicles, England as a 427 Cobra Competition roadster together with CSX 3014 (another 427 Cobra Competition) and two R-model Shelby's (5R107 and 5R209) for a European promotional tour.
- It returned back from Europe in late 1966 still as a 427 Cobra Competition.
- Sometime early to mid 1967, CSX 3015 was transformed into the Super Snake and reclassified as 427 Cobra Semi-Competition (S.C.).
- The reason was quite simple; a 427 Cobra Competition didn't have mufflers, windshield, bumpers, etc. It was a race car only and not street legal.
- Although many SC's were raced and never saw a public road- all 427 Cobra SC's had titles and were legal to drive on public roads.
- 427 competition and SC Cobras have different hips and noses. The February 1968 Road & Track pictures clearly show the hips and nose of a 427 competition roadster, not an SC.
As history shows, CSX 3015 is one of two Super Snake Cobras built. The other being CSX 3303 built for Bill Cosby. CSX 3303 was a 1967 427 street car retained by Shelby American as a PR car and then made into a Super Snake for Bill Cosby. Cosby's record album titled '200 MPH' attests to the fact of why he only drove it once before returning it to Shelby American. Shelby American sold it to S and C Motors in San Francisco, who then sold it to their customer, Tony Maxey. Maxey destroyed himself and CSX 3303 by driving off of a cliff and into the Pacific Ocean. Sadly, Brian Angliss only opted to revive CSX 3303 leaving Mr. Maxey the only one still dead! This copy of CSX 3303 exists in the U.K. today and probably will be offered at an auction. It has absolutely no collector value.
I know Competition Cobras and have had a ten year ownership history with an original, unmolested 427 Cobra Competition CSX 3017. When CSX 3015 arrived home, in Scottsdale, CSX 3017 was already on jack stands for comparison. After thorough inspection, I can state that CSX 3015 is a full Competition Roadster, still retaining its original body with its 1967 aluminum 'Super Snake' hood. Steve Davis and I scraped through two layers of paint; black and Viking blue to find its' brilliant Guardsman Blue.
- It has its original date coded 1965 Competition Girling CR and BR calipers.
- It still has its' 427 Competition 377 rear end with its' original rear end oil cooler and pumps.
- Unbelievably, it still has its' original 1965 date coded engine block, 5M17, December 17, 1965.
- I found that 3015 still had its' original headers with its' original chromed side pipes that had been spray painted flat black!
In fact, I found CSX 3015 so 'period original' I have opted to renew instead of restore.
Why is CSX 3015 so historically significant?
The short and long answer is Carroll Shelby.
- He built at a time when Americans were just Americans- and proud to be Americans.
- He told me he built it just to see how fast it was- and he told me it was a Monster that threw belts off on a regular basis!
- Steve Earl told me he remembers Carroll driving CSX 3015 in the 'Turismo Visitadores' fun-run across Nevada, waking whole towns, blowing out windows, throwing belts and catching fire a couple of times, but finishing.
How cool is that!
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